Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Goldsboro
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $26,800 a year or less, while the top 10% make $37,580 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Goldsboro earn between $27,370 and $35,000.
- $27K10th
- $27K25th
- $32KMedian
- $35K75th
- $38K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $32,070 | $2,672 | $15.42 |
| Median | $32,420 | $2,702 | $15.59 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $27,370 | $2,281 | $13.16 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $35,000 | $2,917 | $16.83 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Goldsboro vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Goldsboro earn 9% less than the North Carolina average ($35,140) and 17% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -13% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goldsboro | $32,070 | $32,420 | $26,800 | $37,580 | 420 |
| North Carolina | $35,140 | $35,400 | $27,980 | $45,450 | 50,150 |
| United States | $38,730 | $37,390 | $28,700 | $47,900 | 1,409,890 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Restaurant salary after taxes in Goldsboro
On the average salary of $32,070, a single filer in Goldsboro takes home about $27,177 a year, or $2,265 a month and $1,045 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Goldsboro a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Goldsboro area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.5), so the average $32,070 buys what about $36,253 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Goldsboro ($40,570). A typical home costs $188,523, or 5.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other North Carolina cities
Goldsboro ranks 13th of 15 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Charlotte pays the most ($37,110).
- Charlotte$37,110
- Asheville$37,000
- Raleigh$36,350
- Durham$36,050
- Pinehurst$34,630
- Wilmington$34,140
- Greensboro$34,040
- Winston-Salem$33,630
- Burlington$33,300
- Goldsboro$32,070
Highest-paying cities for cooks, restaurant
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($54,460).
- Kahului, HI$54,460
- San Jose, CA$49,390
- Seattle, WA$49,000
- San Francisco, CA$48,630
- Napa, CA$47,830
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Cooks, Restaurant salary in Goldsboro: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Goldsboro?
$15.42 an hour on average, and $15.59 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Goldsboro?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $26,800 a year and the 25th percentile is $27,370, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Goldsboro?
About $27,177 a year ($2,265 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $32,070.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Goldsboro than elsewhere?
The average here is 17% less than the U.S. average for this job ($38,730).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-2014; area Goldsboro, NC (24140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.14, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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